The Scented Garden

The kiss of consciousness, Human and Divine. 85 If beautiful Habib plays ‘ kir ’4 or ‘ kun ’, And El Qahar the wise plays ‘ kun ’ or ‘ kir ’. Only we know that we in Him are dead, And that the Far is buried in the Near. Thus like a cherry-blossom is our life Floating unwetted on the moon-white mere.5 It is no time to sing ; for from the house Comes forth the bride Habib, sans prince or peer ; Unique Habib, who walketh like a cat, Sitteth, a swan, and runneth like a deer. His face is like the moon that shines upon The labouring Hajj,6 its camel-throned Emir.7 For like a column of innumerous men Doth serpentine his body ; he is here With hugs to break this breath, and with his mouth To stop the mouth of El Qahar the seer. 1. A river which flows by the ruins of Chilminar. 2. Cedar — dove’s down. By no means chosen at random ; symbolically chosen, or perhaps even because these substances have a reputed value in mystical practices. Apollonius of Tyana ( ? connec- tion with Dhyana) was accustomed to wrap himself completely in a woolen garment in order to perform magic — presumably with some idea of “ insula- tion.” Cedar is esteemed highly as incense. The passage may mean : “ I will float heavenward on the perfume of my adoration, being insulated from the world by my love (or the Holy Spirit) under That Tree.” i.e. the Tree of Life.